The Nash, Calgary

Formally as a national historic site in 2002, the old National Hotel (c.1907), now The Nash, was a typical early Alberta hotel with both a brewery and a livery stable. Located in the Inglewood district where most of the city’s prominent citizens resided, it became action centre for industry after World War I. It served the area as both a district tavern and a hotel for transient workers being so close to the lifeline of Canada, the Canadian Pacific Railway (C.P.R.).

For a number of years it was abandoned but, thankfully, not demolished. Then Calgary Entrepreneur-Chef Michael Noble of NOtaBLE, took it on as much as a ’cause’ as a restaurant. He and his team rebuilt, renovated and dreamed it into reality. Now the Nash is an excellent Calgary steakhouse with an informal bar called the Off Cut.

Like many Calgary restaurants, The Nash loves meat. And they do it well! My favourite seat in the house is at the restaurant bar, just watching the pit-master work his magic on the best cuts of Alberta AAA beef from flat iron to rib eye.